Middle School Summer Reading

This summer we would like you to do as much reading as you can. Reading opens a whole new world to learning! Reading will keep your mind active and develop strong vocabulary knowledge, comprehension and fluency.

The Middle School Literature teachers have selected the following summer required novels. Each grade offers two novel choices. You are welcome to read both books, but only need to complete the summer reading packet over one of the selections.

The summer packet is designed for you to split your book into fourths. You are to complete a reading response form over each fourth of your book. Please make sure you indicate the pages read on the top of each reading response form. You may work at your own pace; however, we encourage you to complete the novel within a four week schedule.

All the work completed in this packet must be your own. Copying other people’s work will receive no credit, parent communication, and other consequences. Just remember, this packet is to help you remember what you learned and be ready for the upcoming work in the fall. We want you to stay sharp over the summer, so we ask you to practice your reading skills and show us what you can do.

Entering 6th Grade:

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by: Avi

The Cay by: Theodore Taylor

Entering 7th Grade:

The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by: Jamie Ford

Farewell to Manzanar by: James D. Houston

Entering 8th Grade:

The Red Pony by: Steinbeck

Fever 1793 by: Laurie Halse Anderson

Summer reading packets are due on the first day of school. Students will be receiving a grade on the summer reading packet and an assessment of the novel given the first week of school. We look forward to discussing the novels and sharing insights during literature discussions.

Happy Reading!

Middle School summer reading

Due the 1st Day of School

All the work completed in this packet must be your own. Copying other people’s work will receive no credit, parent communication, and other consequences.

Choice one book from the following list:

Entering 6th Grade:

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
By Avi /
The Cay
By Theodore Taylor

Entering 7th Grade:

The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford /
Farewell to Manzanar
By James D. Houston

Entering 8th Grade:

The Red Pony
by John Steinbeck /
Fever 1793
By Laurie Halse Anderson

Annotation Requirements for incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders

All incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders will need to annotate their novel in addition to completing the packet. For incoming 6th and 7th graders, annotations will be done with sticky notes. For incoming 8th graders, annotations can be done with notecards, sticky notes, or Cornell notes. Students will be able to use these notes on part of their beginning-of-year assessment in order to locate text evidence to prove an idea.

What does it mean to annotate?

Annotation is a note of explanation or a comment about the text. It is a fancy word for interacting with what you read and finding meaning that applies to other texts, to the world, or to your own life. We annotate to reach a better understanding and find meaning in what we read. Readers who annotate become better readers because they learn how to ask and answer questions about what they are reading, and they are able to pull out the most important parts of the text.

What do we look for when we annotate?

For each chapter or passage we read, look for who/what/where/when/how in each chapter. Who are the main characters? What are they doing or how do they accomplish the author’s theme or purpose? Where are they doing it; what is the setting? When does the story take place? Has the time period changed from this chapter to the last? Note these details with their page and paragraph numbers on the note card you have been given. This acts as a guide that you can later use to summarize what you just read.
Give an opinion. Did what you just read leave you with an impression about the book or characters? Write down any feelings that may come up with what you are reading. Are you happy about what just happened to a character? Did the passage make you sad? Write down whatever comes to mind. It will help you connect better with what you’re reading.
Ask clarifying questions. Did something you read not make sense? Are you confused by what a character did or said? Write down the questions you have, so that you can ask them during in-class discussions. Often, we discover that if something doesn’t make sense to us when we are reading, they might not make sense to a classmate or a classmate may be able to answer the questions we have.
Write down any words you don’t know when you are reading. Comprehension problems often occur because the reader doesn’t understand some of the words that the author uses. When you are able to look up the words, find the definition and find a synonym for that word in the thesaurus or on Dictionary.com.
Make connections. Sometimes, when we read, we notice the character or setting seems familiar to something we’ve experienced before or read in the past. These connections are important for understanding, so write them down on your note card for deeper understanding.

What should annotations look like on my sticky note?

Every two pages, you should have at least one sticky note.
Jot down characters, events, objects that are significant. Make a note of what the significant thing is and why you think it’s important.
Jot down any idea that ties to a greater theme in the book.
Then stick the note near the line or paragraph where the important idea was. Stick it so that the edge peeks out the side of the book. (This acts like a bookmark so you can find the line/paragraph later.)
On the last page of the chapter, write a Summary Sticky Note. Jot down the significance plot events that happened in order to refresh your memory about what happened in the chapter.

What should annotations look like on my note card?

Your note card will need a full heading. The heading will include your first and last name, the date, subject/period/teacher, and the title of the book.
If your teacher has given you an essential question to think about while reading the book, put that essential question underneath the title of the book. This will help you keep that question in mind while reading. Usually, the essential question is a theme that connects all of the books in a unit. Read this question each time, before you begin reading. This will help you remember why we are reading this book.
When you start annotating a new chapter, start off by putting the chapter number, then put the page number and the paragraph number with a brief summary of the who/what/when/where/or why on the line immediately following the chapter number. Next to your brief description, put what question is being answered.
After you have written all of your summary/supporting details, write down any clarifying questions you may have. Be sure to leave some space for a short answer to your question.
Write down any vocabulary words you may not understand. Look those words up and put a brief description after the word. Add one to three synonyms to help you remember the word for future reading.
Write down any feelings or opinions you might have while reading a passage. How do you connect to this chapter, page, or paragraph? Does this book remind you of things that have happened to you? Does this chapter remind you of other books you have read? These types of connections are important for deeper understanding, so whenever you can connect your life or other books to what you’re reading in class, write down those feelings, opinions, or connections.
When you fill up a note card, keep it in a safe place, like a manila envelope, hole-punched on a key ring, stapled, or paper clipped together, and grab another one. You are welcome to use as many as you need.

Sample Note Card Annotation for To Kill A Mockingbird:

The following example note card annotation is for the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. We will not be reading this book, but the example gives you an idea of what your note card annotations should look like. Study the following example, and use it to help you write your own.

Name:Click here to enter text.

Novel Title:Click here to enter text.

Reader Response 1

I read from page Click here to enter text.to pageClick here to enter text.. (First ¼ of your book)

Vocabulary: As you read, write down three unfamiliar words and what you guess they mean based on what you read. (NOTE: These do not need to be words that completely stump you, just words that are new to you or that you are unfamiliar with. You MUST have 3 words, the sentence from the book, and the dictionary definition filled in completely.)

Word / How it is used in the text
(write the sentence from the book) / Definition
1. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
2. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
3. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /

Connections: As you read, write down four connections that you make with the text. Remember, connections can be based on your personal life, background knowledge, or another book you have read. Use complete sentences. Example: This book/character reminds me of _____ because_____. or The part in the book when _____ is kind of like_____ because_____ .

Concrete Detail from the Text
(write the quote here) / Connection Made
(explain the kind of connection using complete sentences) / Identify Connection Type (Text-to-Self, Text-to-World, Text-to-Text)
1. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
2. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
3. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
4. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /

Reader Response 2

I read from page Click here to enter text.to page Click here to enter text..(Second ¼ of the novel)

Word / How it is used in the text
(write the sentence from the book) / Dictionary Definition
1. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
2. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
3. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /

Visualization: Draw a sketch of what you visualized while reading this week. Label it if necessary. Outline or color in color pencils or pens.

Questions: As you read, write down at least three questions (teacher-like questions) that you have about the text.

1. / Click here to enter text. /
2. / Click here to enter text. /
3. / Click here to enter text. /

Reader Response 3

I read from page Click here to enter text.to page Click here to enter text. .(Third ¼ of the novel)

Connections: As you read, write down at least three connections that you make with the text. Remember, connections can be based on your personal life, background knowledge, or another book you have read. Use complete sentences. Example: This book/character reminds me of _____ because_____. or The part in the book when _____ is kind of like _____ because _____ .

Prediction: Make one prediction about what will happen next in the book. Include why you are making this prediction.

I predict that

Click here to enter text. /

because

Click here to enter text. /

Reader Response 4

I read from page Click here to enter text.to page Click here to enter text..(Last ¼ of the novel)

Literary Element: Conflicts are challenges in the story between the main character(s) and other forces. Most good stories involve challenges that characters must face and attempt to overcome. Through challenges characters grow, typically gaining new knowledge and perspective by the end of their journey. A challenge can be any one of the following, and sometimes several at once: Person vs. Person; Person vs. Self; Person vs. Society; and/or Person vs. Nature. Give an example of a Conflict in the story. You may use any part of the book.

Quote (page #). / Opponent / Interpretation
Cite four specific examples of challenges faced by a major character(s). Include page number in parentheses. / Against what or whom did this character struggle? (Versus-a Person, Vs.- Circumstances, Vs.-Nature, Vs.-Society, Vs.-Self) / Explain how the citation outlines the two opponents in the challenge – the character and their opponent. What does it say about the main character involved?
1. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
2. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
3. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /
4. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. / Click here to enter text. /